a new twist in an ancient craft

3D print

The printer

Our 3D printer is based on a delta printer design by Jonathan Keep. We have designed our own extruder to force soft clay out of a syringe and through a fine nozzle. The position of the "print head" is controlled by three motors which move according to the G-Code instructions for the design.

The delta printer showing the central syringe assembly and its supporting control rods. These are linked to three toothed drive belts, each controlled by a motor.

The clay

Getting the clay mix right is crucial – it must be the right consistency without either lumps or air bubbles. We mix bag clay with water, knead it and push it into the syringes.

The print

It takes a force of about 200 pounds to extrude the clay from the nozzle. The combination of clay consistency, clay flow, print speed, layer height and nozzle size determine the thickness and surface finish of the printed pot.